


Who do I Love?

by GrumpyJenn



Series: Side Stories [4]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005), Torchwood
Genre: Backstory: Jack Harkness, Backstory: The Doctor, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Love, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-09
Updated: 2012-09-09
Packaged: 2017-11-13 20:58:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/507657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrumpyJenn/pseuds/GrumpyJenn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A little vignette wherein the Doctor and Jack are comforted by a friend</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who do I Love?

“Tell Isrea a story, Doctor,” suggested Jack. The three of them were in the console room of the TARDIS, on their way to pick up Evie and River at Luna University. “I’ve got plenty more, but sometimes she likes to hear a story from a new person. All about the stories, our Issy.”

“Isrea has asked Jack not to call Isrea _Issy_ ,” the lizard-woman said in scathing tones. “Isrea’s name means moving-water-over-pebbles. Issy is...” She shuddered lightly, crest up in a way that meant mild disgust. “Issy has not so pleasant a meaning.”

The Doctor looked from one to the other. “Stop teasing her, Jack,” he said in a resigned sort of voice, and then slipped into the more formal speech patterns he used with Isrea, even within the TARDIS. “And yes, this one will tell Isrea a story. What sort of story would Isrea like to hear?”

“Ssss...” she hissed thoughtfully. “A story of friendship perhaps, and mating and family and travel?” Her crest flattened in her version of a smile. “A story of the Doctor, Doctor?”

“I...” The Doctor paused, thought, and started again. “This one will tell Isrea of his stories,” he sighed, “but this one cannot tell all of the stories because of spoilers.”

Isrea nodded human fashion, and said, “Isrea understands, but the Doctor should remember that Isrea is a priest; Isrea does not tell others’ secrets.” She tugged lightly and affectionately on his hair - the closest thing he had to a proper crest, she thought, and his was better than most humans’ - with her tongue and said sadly, “But Isrea feels - _knows_ \- that spoilers are only one reason for not telling of all the stories. Some stories cause hurt in the saying.” Jack grasped her wrist and squeezed it gently and she looked gratefully at him. “Isrea will listen to those stories the Doctor is able to tell.”

The Doctor nodded soberly and turned to look at the human. “Jack...?”

“Do you want me to leave?” Jack said it as neutrally as he could, because _yes_ , if the Doctor wanted him to go his feelings would be hurt, but letting the Doctor talk out some of his pain was more important. If he felt he could talk to Isrea but not Jack, well...

“I...” The Doctor closed his eyes briefly. “I would like you to stay. But if I need you to go I...” he trailed off and opened his eyes as Jack kissed him gently on the lips.

“Whatever you need from me, Doc.”

And so the Doctor told them. He told them of stealing the TARDIS (or her stealing him, and she hummed as he told them). He told them of the Master when they were both children on Gallifrey, and of Susan and Barbara and Ian. He told of the Daleks and the Toymaker and travelling with Marco Polo on Earth, and the Aztecs and the first time he spent with the Romans. He told of his first regeneration, from a young man who looked old into a cunning younger-looking man who put on a good show. More Daleks, the Cybermen, the Ice Warriors from Mars, being trapped on Earth and forced to regenerate by the Time Lords.

He told them of many things, of adventures and narrow escapes, of sad stories and thrilling travels and exploding suns. Most of all he spoke of the people, the Companions and the friends and the denizens of his favourite planet, Earth. Several times he choked up, and at one point Jack quietly left to find the kitchen, and brought him back some fish custard.

The Doctor smiled at Jack as the three of them began to dip fish fingers. “Thanks, Jack.”

“Any time. Where were we?”

“Donna. So...” the Doctor swallowed and held up a fish finger. “So thanks for this. I miss her.” He nodded to himself. “I miss them all of course, but some...” he trailed off, and Jack took up the thread.

“I know which some,” he said soberly. “Some of them are more special to you than others. Time Lords and humans seem to have that in common.”

“No,” Isrea said. “Not humans and Time Lords. Bipeds. The Haemogoth feel different love for different people.” She ducked her head in that way that both the mammals could interpret as _shy pride_. “Isrea has spoken of this to the Conclave of the Temple. Isrea’s speaking earned praise.”

The Doctor looked interested. “Really?” he asked, “How do the Haemogoth do it?” He ignored Jack’s singing _birds do it, bees do it..._ under his breath. “If you can tell me of course.”

She nodded human fashion. “The Haemogoth have nest love, den love, mating love, and true-mating love. The nest is love of one’s nest-mates and one’s ancestors. The den is love of those whose nests are near one’s own nest. Mating love is sharing of mating, and the true-mating love is the love one shares with only one other person at the time. Usually.”

“That’s beautiful, Isrea,” said the Doctor sincerely. “In English those would be family, friendship, romance, and... marriage, I suppose.” Isrea nodded again.

“Jack and the Doctor have nest love and den love, and have had mating love in the past, yes?” Both men nodded and she continued. “Jack and Evie and Isrea have den love and mating love, and Jack and Evie have the true-mating love. As does the Doctor with River, and the Doctor with Sexy Thing. Rarely does true-mating love happen more than twice or thrice in a lifetime, but the lives of Jack and the Doctor are much longer than those of the Haemogoth.” She smiled at them in the manner of her people, slicking her crest back against her head. “Isrea thinks the Doctor has had a few - the ones called Sarah Jane, and Rose, and River, and the one known as Sexy Thing...” Here she made an elaborate bow to the centre console, which pulsed back at her. “...and maybe the one called the Master when the Doctor and the Master were young...” She trailed off as the Doctor shook his head.

“I never... I... not with Sarah Jane, nor with Rose, not _me_ that is--” he broke off as she put one delicately scaled finger to his lips.

“The true-mating love does not require the _act_ of mating,” she said earnestly. “The Doctor and Sarah Jane, and the Doctor and Rose, like Jack and the one called Gwen... are true-mating love whether the act of mating has happened or not.” She caressed Jack’s ear with her tongue; it was his turn to fight tears. “Did Jack think Isrea did not know? Jack loved Gwen but never touched because Gwen was mated to another. The Doctor loved Sarah Jane and Rose but did not touch, because the Doctor feared the pain of outliving the lovers. This is _known_.” She gave a very human headshake, looking sorrowful. “Isrea apologizes if she has hurt the Doctor and Jack. How can Isrea mend the hurt?”

Her crest was flaring in the way that was analogous to human hand-wringing, and she was clearly distressed that she might have hurt them, so Jack managed a twisted little smile. “It’s not so much _hurt_ , Isrea,” he said softly, wrapping his fingers around her wrist and rubbing the base of the feathers gently. “It’s... it’s that we didn’t realise you’d understand.” He glanced at the Doctor, who nodded.

“There are so few who do,” the Doctor said, “and it’s a bit of a shock really.”

_(Sexy knows)_

Jack winced, and the look on Isrea’s face was pained as well. “She’s right, she knows. Probably better than anyone; she’s been his companion for hundreds of years. Rory probably gets it, when he lets himself. And our true-mates do too. Don’t worry, Isrea; you haven’t hurt us.”

_(true-mates come)_

The TARDIS landed and the outside doors opened.

“Hello, Sweetie,” said River in her throaty voice, and the Doctor’s face lit up.

“Hi honey. I’m home.”

“And what sort of time do you call this?”

“Story-time, actually, my River; Issy... sorry,” he apologised as she hissed at him. “Isrea wanted to hear our stories. It was... interesting, wasn’t it Jack? Jack?”

Jack waved a hand absently in his direction but didn’t look up from the deep snog he was sharing with Evie, who had her legs around his waist and was kissing him back for all she was worth. The Doctor shook his head at them fondly, and then kissed Isrea gently on one scaly cheek and ruffled her crest. “Thank you, Isrea,” he said seriously. “You helped me more than you know. And now, my River,” he turned to his wife, “River Song, Melody Pond, true-mate... I’ve a story to tell you...” And he took her hand and led her into the depths of the TARDIS, secure in the knowledge that he had his true-mates with him.


End file.
